Who watches the Watchmen?

I did!

It was quite gory and quite violent--I think it definitely deserves its R-rating in the sense that it really did not seem appropriate for an under 17 crowd, although I am sure I behind times in what kids these day know and see on a daily basis. Still, I would much rather give my kid the graphic novel to read first, than this to watch.

All that aside, it was very good, it stayed pretty true to the general storyline, and I thought the cast selection, especially The Comedian and Nite Owl II, was nicely done (well, and I suppose Rorschach, but you see so little of his face, you know?! Oh, incidentally, this movie reunites Jackie Earle Haley and Patrick Wilson, last seen in 'Little Children' together. They should make more movies together; they have a nice vibe going.)

I wonder how it will play out to someone who has not read the graphic novel, or isn't quite aware of why, when it first came out, it was such a landmark event in the comics world and, in a way, for the novel genre itself. I think they will enjoy it. I suppose if you liked the previous Alan Moore adaptation (V for Vendetta), you will like this--granted, V the movie took more liberties with the story than Watchmen the movie has, but given that neither were made of the typical superhero fabric (in novel as well as in the movie), they are remain comparable enough that liking one probably means you'll like the other.

The soundtrack, by the way, is quite nice, too, and rather eclectic, which makes sense, since the novel/movie spans about 40 years in time (in flashbacks). The one song that felt a little off was 'Hallelujah', not because it wasn't appropriate, but I guess because it was used in the one of two ways that song always seems to be used (sex/love scene or death/loss scene. For once, I'd like to see someone do use it in a completely unexpected way.). Props, though, to using the Leonard Cohen original, whose darker, starker delivery than later covers went very well with the similar overtones of the movie. Other than that, though, I loved the varied choices of songs--all classics, but very nicely interjected. Oh, and there are also covers on soundtrack, which really seals the deal for me as far as it being a good attempt at a memorable soundtrack. Especially since, how could you go wrong with an album that has Nina Simone doing Pirate Jenny from Threepenny Opera?

Pirate Jenny - Nina Simone

(Oh, sweet! Here's a link to the actual original from the 1931 film 'Die Dreigroschenoper'. Definitely click through!)

The other cover on the album is My Chemical Romance's cover of Bob Dylan's Desolation Row. I think if you are a purist who believes Dylan's work is Dylan's work is Dylan's work, you probably will hate it. Even if you are not a purist, you may not like it as much if you come at it cold, thn if you see it in the context of the movie (it does work better with that as its backdrop). I'm not a Dylan purist, so I actually don't mind the MCR cover, in and of its own--it doesn't come even halfway close to hitting the particular spot Dylan's does, but I don't think it was trying to or was meant, to anyway, you know? Actually, I kind of like it. (Is it just me, or is there a little hint of Meatloaf's 'Bat Out of Hell' interspersed with Slade's 'Run Runaway'? I think so, and I am usually good about picking up on certain arrangements, however unintentionally they may end up in a song.)

Desolation Row (cover) - My Chemical Romance



Desolation Row - Bob Dylan



(By the way, my go to source for buying albums, Amazon, appears to have only the MCR cover available off the soundtrack as a download, (I don't know about itunes, which I hate and don't use), but you can easily 'build' your own soundtrack by choosing and downloading the songs from a different album from the artists.)